I don’t even know where to begin. I’ll start by saying that we just got home from a terrific/fantastic/mind-blowing/mind-numbing/oh my gosh, how am I going to remove myself from the premises after eating all of this… dinner. And dessert.

A few weeks ago Sues and I were invited to enjoy a six-course fall-inspired dinner prepared by Chef Jarrod Moiles at Bokx 109 located in Hotel Indigo. I’ve been dying to get to Bokx for a while now because I’ve heard so many positive things about it. Plus, who doesn’t love a snazzy restaurant in a posh hotel? No friend of mine, I’ll tell you that much.

The dinner started at 6:30 this evening. We got stuck in a bit of traffic on 95 since we were driving during the last leg of rush hour, but we managed to make it only a handful of minutes late. I adore so much about Newton but if you live in Boston and don’t have a car it’s easy to brush it off as being “too far away”. Which, in reality, it’s not far at all. It’s only about a 15 minute drive from the Brookline area without traffic. My theory is, brushing anything off is silly because you end up missing out on lots of lovely. But thankfully I have a car and if you don’t, fear not, because Bokx is located literally 300 feet from the Riverside T stop on the D line. There was a sign, that’s how I know the exact distance

Okay, let’s chat about the food. If you’re hungry, now is the best time to either turn away from your computer, grab a snack (although it won’t be as good as our dinner, that’s a fact!) or cover your keyboard because drooling will ensue.

Amuse

Seared Day Boat Scallops with house-cured pancetta, truffle, wild mushroom, baby Brussels sprout leaves, and cranberry gastrique.

First Course

Roasted beet timbale, goat cheese brulee, pistachio brittle, balsamic onion jam. Wine pairing: Chateau St Michelle, Riesling, Columbia Valley, Washington, 2010.

Second Course

Lobster stuffed dover sole, braised Swiss chard, atop roasted shallot cream. Wine pairing: Spellbound, Chardonnay, Napa California 2009

There were so many things right with this dish. First, the roasted shallot cream very well could have been a dish on its own. And second, lobster stuffed inside of sole? If I went to Bokx tonight just for this one dish it would have been well worth it.

Third Course

Homestead Farm pork tenderloin bacon wrapped, house made mustarda, pickled tomato relish, corncake. Wine pairing: Rosenblum, “Appellation Series”, Zinfandel, Paso Robles, California 2008.

This was the point when Sues excitedly nudged me as the pork tenderloin was being prepared because she knows that I go ga-ga over anything wrapped in bacon. Rightfully so.

Fourth Course

Braised Brandt Farm beef short rib, fall vegetable ragout, Bordelaise. Wine pairing: Robert Craig, “Affinity”, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa, California 2008.

So, so, so tender.

Dessert

Triple creme brie panna cotta, caramelized figs, spiced hazelnut praline.

And hold on tight for this…

SOUR APPLE COTTON CANDY.

When Chef Moiles came out with bowls of these gorgeous light green clouds of sugar, everyones face lit up. Because naturally a group of adults dining together gets the most excited about cotton candy. That’s just how life works

After dinner was over we snapped a group photo and I may or may not have considered checking into a room upstairs at the hotel. I was that stuffed and that unable to move a single limb. From our seats, Sues and I even jokingly looked around the restaurant at one point to see if there were any benches we could take a nap on I’m actually quite impressed I’m even able to move my fingers to type this post. Everything was far more than I expected and it’s safe to say I’m adding this to my list as one of my most favorite dining experiences to date! A cozy chef’s table, fun company, friendly host, food and wine that leave you nearly speechless and in a food coma. Job well done, Bokx. We shall return, especially to explore this rooftop pool we’ve been hearing so much about!

Bokx 109
399 Grove Street
Newton, MA
617.454.3399

Thank you for the invite, Joanna

[Chels]

But my last few days at the lake were pretty wonderful (just like my first!) and the weather was perfect (if by perfect, you mean ridiculously hot, which I do). We knew how to cool off. In the middle of the week, we rented a pontoon boat and took to the water.

I didn’t opt to go tubing, but Chris, Adam, and Cherylann did. What can I say? I’m both a huge wuss and an old lady and feel like I’ve passed my prime tubing age. OK fine, I’ve always been afraid of it. There was no prime tubing age for me.

I mean, that scares me. But Chris definitely wasn’t afraid.

Neither was Adam.

My cousin, Cherylann, also hit the waves

I preferred to sit on the boat and catch some rays.

Until I was forced to drive the boat. My entire family insisted my blog readers would want to see me driving. So, there you go. Happy now?

I swear, my dad belongs on the water in the sun. It’s his natural habitat.

My sister just looks like she’s going to get us into an accident. Just kidding, she was a fabulous boat driver.

After spending the day on the water, we hit up the Seneca Allegany Casino. Can you believe I’ve never been in a casino?? Despite the fact that I live so close to Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, I’ve never had the chance to visit. And Vegas is still just a distant dream for me. Thank goodness we had dinner at the casino first where I was told I wasn’t allowed to take photos in the actual casino.

You know I would have. And I would have been forcibly removed, I’m sure. At least we got this dinner shot.

But we didn’t get any photos of me in the casino winning $120 on the slot machine within my first 6 spins. I have to say I had no clue what I was doing and my sister and I basically wandered the casino trying to find our “lucky” machine. When I sat down and spun a few times, I saw my credits going way up and immediately printed my receipt.

I’m not a good gambler and only spent the other $20 that I had gone in with before deciding to call it quits. Beginner’s luck!

The next evening, we headed down the street to a little restaurant called Guppy’s. It’s good inexpensive food, but I probably wouldn’t be writing about it if not for the fact that Chris and Adam ordered this drink called the Fish Bowl.

And I thought this photo was pretty hilarious. Clearly they don’t even behave when they’re with my family.

I can’t believe I didn’t snap any photos of the amazing sunsets that took place every night over the lake. We got home just as dusk was fading.

Can you tell we’re on full-on vacation mode right here?

SO relaxed and happy!

The next day, Chris and I headed to Jamestown to visit a place I reallyyyy wanted to go. To the Lucy-Desi Museum!

I was made fun of non-stop for my strong desire to visit the museum on my trip, but I didn’t let it stop me. When I was a kid, I was OBSESSED with Lucy. I had a huge book of every I Love Lucy, The Lucy Desi Comedy Hour, and The Lucy Show episode and I checked them off as I watched them. I even wrote a paper on I Love Lucy in college. There will never be a better actress or television show.

I had visited the Lucy-Desi Museum about 15 years ago (omg I feel old), but knew they had renovated since then so was excited to head back.

There’s the museum, which features lots of memorabilia from Lucy and Desi and then there’s the Desilu Playhouse, which actually has parts of the old television sets. So cool!

Sadly, photos within the museums weren’t allowed.

But Chris may have sneaked one of me pretending to be in the Vitameatavegamin commercial.

I also struck a pose with Lucy in the commercial

I’m obsessed.

So is the town of Jamestown. This adorable huge stamp was on the side of their post office.

And then it was the final day of our trip. Instead of hanging out at the pool, we decided to head into Buffalo. Chris had never seen Niagara Falls and we needed to fix that. Sadly, we couldn’t make it to the Canadian side, which is allegedly 100 times prettier than the American side.

But still. I think Chris got the point.

And while the grass around the falls was basically DEAD (in all fairness, it hadn’t rained at all. But come on, America), there were a few pretty flowers.

The mist coming from the falls was SO nice on this ridiculously sweltering day.

It was so hot, I wanted to dive right in!

Bad idea? Probably. But seriously, it was so hot out, we couldn’t stick around long.

Anyway, we had somewhere else to be. Chris’s life-long dream was about to come true… visiting the Anchor Bar!!

In case you don’t know, the Anchor Bar is where buffalo wings were invented. I grew up hearing the story from my dad, but hadn’t had the opportunity to visit.

Beth was so excited, she did a chicken dance in the parking lot.

I love buffalo wings, but am generally only a fan of my parents’ buffalo wings or boneless wings. It was still really cool to be at the place that started it all.

Chris got an order of the suicidal buffalo wings. Obviously. The hotter the better for him.

He ate them all and was happy with how spicy they were. But he said they weren’t his favorite buffalo wings by a long shot. Eh, oh well; he got to try a little piece of history!

We stopped by my Uncle Hal’s house to say hi to him (Handsome Hal, if you will) and then rushed back to the lake for our final vacation dinner at The Watermark.

I loved it here!

Mainly for the awesome drinks.

And the ahi tuna salad, which was the perfect goodbye Chautauqua meal.

My mom enjoyed a half Maine lobster

And it’s clear that vacation suits my dad very well. I love this photo of him!

After dinner, I made like a duck and headed back to Boston. Really, I just thought it was funny my sister and I both imitated birds on the same day. Must be some weird sister thing!

I’m actually pretty impressed by how much we packed in on our vacation. I didn’t get a whole lot of reading done (though I did finish One Day and get most of the way through Maine) and I could have spent 39023 in the sun by the pool; but I’m glad we got to hit up so many spots and do so many activities.

Until next time, Lake Chautauqua. I’m guessing we won’t be visiting next summer since Chris and I will be getting married (!!!) and honeymooning somewhere (no idea where yet… ideas?! Preferably somewhere with a Starwoods Hotel), but perhaps we’ll meet again in 2013.

Are you taking any vacations this summer? Where to?

[Sues]

On our way to Lake Chautauqua on Friday, we decided to make a stop at Ommegang Brewery. It wasn’t exactly on the way, but would only add about an extra hour to the 9-hour drive and we figured it would be just what we’d need in the middle of the long road trip. DEFINITELY glad we made this stop.

Ommegang is in Cooperstown, NY, home of the baseball hall of fame. But since we were on limited time, we decided to forgo the hall of fame for the brewery. Priorities, yes?

Right when we drove up the long road to the brewery, we knew it was going to be a beautiful location. The entrance archway has two dates: 1549 stands for the year of the Ommegang festival in Brussels, which was held for Charles the Fifth. And 1997 stands for the year the Ommegang brewery was founded.

We managed to arrive at the brewery right when it opened and immediately signed up for the first tour of the day.

No matter how many brewery tours I’ve been on, they’re all unique and Ommegang was one of the prettiest spots we’ve been to yet. I’m used to touring breweries in cities, so it was cool to see one that was in the middle of the countryside- it almost looked like a winery.

Of course, all the big brewing equipment was there and we got the opportunity to get a close-up look at it and learn all about it and the beer-making process.

We also got to check out the bottling plant, which was pretty awesome. We always see the finished product in stores or at bars, but we never think about how those bottles got filled or labeled.

After the tour, we, of course, got to participate in a tasting. We sample Ommegang’s Witte, Rare Vos, BPA (Belgian-Style Pale Ale), Hennepin, Abbey Ale, and my all-time favorite Three Philosophers. We also tried several of their horseradish beer cheese spreads and mustards and ended up buying a whole bunch of them because we knew they’d be perfect for lakeside snacking. I think they’re already all gone.

Since we weren’t ready to continue on our long journey quite yet, we checked out a few more beers (don’t worry; we had a designated driver!).

FYI: If you mix Ommegang’s Witte and Liefman’s Fruitesse, it makes for a delightful summer drink.

Hmmm, do you agree?

Chris was overjoyed that we got to stop at one of his favorite breweries. I have a feeling Chris and I are in for many, many more brewery adventures in our life together! Everywhere we travel, we make sure to check and see if there’s a brewery on the way or nearby.

I posed with the monk on the way out.

When we finally arrived at our condo later that evening, we had a nice quiet evening with my parents, my Aunt Judy, and my cousin Karen.

Adam brought his bags game, so we set it up on the front lawn for a friendly little competition.

My sister had these boards specially made for him a few years ago.

The sun was setting over the lake and we were all feeling relaxed and thrilled to finally be vacationing!

And tired from spending a million hours in the car.

Saturday was the only day we could visit Southern Tier Brewery if we wanted a tour since they only do weekend tours and we already had plans on Sunday. It was also the day of their big Summer Fest, which made us a bit nervous since we wanted to make sure to catch one of their two tours.

So, we arrived plenty early (before they even opened!), put our name on the tour list, and then headed to play some mini golf.

Posing for photos during mini golf games totally makes me feel like I’m 16 again.

What? You never had photoshoots with your friends on mini golf courses in high school?

Like anything we do with Adam and Chris, it was a true competition, measuring angles and everything. Whenever anyone measure angles or acts too serious about mini golf (or pool), I call them Donald Duck.

You know, because of this video I’m pretty sure everyone was forced to watch in 9th grade geometry class:

P.S. I was really bad at geometry. I prefer to hit the ball toward the hole and hope that it lands somewhat near it. It’s been working out for me so far.

And then we hurried back to Southern Tier to get our tour on.

My cousin Karen joined us

I’m pretty sure we should just use these for our engagement photos, right?

We started in on the tour, which involved lots of beer. While it was fun, it probably wasn’t the best idea to serve a group full of people so much beer at the beginning of the tour. The poor guide had some trouble keeping everyone’s attention. It didn’t help that it was kind of loud and very hot in the facility.

But we still enjoyed ourselves and learned a lot about one of our very favorite breweries. Seriously, Southern Tier beers were some of the first I ever enjoyed when I first started loving craft beer. When I learned it was located right where my family vacations, I was thrilled! Fate

Of the beers we sampled, I really enjoyed the 2XIPA, the Heavy Weizen, and the Creme Brulee (tastes exactly like creme brulee!).

Chris wanted to take all the beers home with us.

And we locked Adam in, so he could drink all the beers he wanted

After the tour, we hung out in the brew pub and sampled some more beer and enjoyed Summer Fest.

I enjoyed an Iniquity Imperial Black Ale and sampled the special Chautauqua Brew.

And delicious chicken from Hog Wild BBQ in Warren, PA.

I also bought a bottle of Southern Tier’s Back Burner Barley Wine and am super excited to try it. I’m a big barley wine fan and I’m sure Southern Tier’s will hit the spot.

The next day, we headed to my Texas cousins’ condo for a little thing my family named Wing Fest. You may remember my Texas cousins from my trip to Austin for Austin City Limits

Of course, we brought out the bags game once again. And my cousins’ kids became bags champions. Chris taught Benn the ropes.

And Adam assisted Angela.

Then Benn and Jack teamed up and both showed off their impressive skills.

We had no idea my cousin John was such an amazing bags player.

My Uncle Bob’s dog, Ty, joined us, too

That evening, we enjoyed lots and lots of buffalo wings, some made by my parents and some by my Uncle Bob.

With all kinds of sides!

In case you’re wondering what Lake Chautauqua looks like, here’s a shot from my cousins’ place. Beautiful! Our condo is on the lake, too, but we tend to hang out at the pool more.

When the sun set, we gathered around a little campfire and listened to Benn tell ghost stories.

And chowed down on s’mores.

Sisters! Benn doesn’t believe we’re sisters because he says we don’t look anything alike.

More sisters! Cherylann and Karen are two of my cousins and it’s been so fabulous to be able to spend so much time with them this trip. Since we’re from all over the country- Boston, Texas, and Buffalo, we don’t get to see them nearly enough.

And more sisters! My mom and my Aunt Judy who happens to be one of We are not Martha’s most avid fans

Lakeside photo. I’m pretty sure approximately 9043 mosquitos were biting me at this precise moment, despite the layers of big spray I put on. Speaking of, bug spray has really come a long way. This Off! Tropical Fresh spray actually smelled GOOD.

Lest you think all we’ve done on this vacation is drink beer, here’s a little proof we fit in some other activity as well. The other day, we woke up early and played a round of golf.

Chris was fabulous.

My sister had an amazing swing.

Me? Not so much. But I was wearing pink pants. So, there’s that. As you can clearly see from this photo, my feet aren’t far enough apart. One of the benefits of taking photos while playing golf: you can critique your stance.

The golf course is right next to the property we’re staying on and offered gorgeous views. So, even if you’re not the best golfer, you could still have fun. Ahem. Even when people started yelling at us for being slow and allegedly “cutting them” even though we were just trying to be polite and let people go ahead of us.

I’ve mostly taken off from work for the entire week, though I’ve had to get a few things in here and there (and write a blog post, obviously). But my family all started laughing when we realized that we had this many Apple products on the coffee table between the six of us. Let’s just say even when we’re vacationing lakeside, we like to enjoy very high-tech vacations. Oops. But I’m proud to say we’re all being good and spending most of our time outside… You can’t read an iPad in the sun, you know, so it’s back to traditional books for me this week.

Also, the weather here has been AMAZING. Before we came, the weather report called for lots of rain, but it’s been rain-free, sunny, and hot since we got here. Just the way I like it.

I need to get to bed because Chris just caved in and agreed to head to the Lucy-Desi Museum with me tomorrow. YES! Speaking of, I’m pretty upset I won’t be in town for this:

In case you’re wondering, I Love Lucy is my all-time favorite show and I’ve seen every single episode, along with all of the Lucy-Desi Comedy Hour and The Lucy Show episodes. She’s the best!

I’ve got lots more to share, but will likely do so when I’m home fully relaxed and with sun-kissed skin Hope your week is going well!

What’s your idea of the ideal vacation?

[Sues]

Yes, somehow I was peer pressured into playing golf. It’s one of those activities I’ve never been interested in at all, but with Chris, my sister, and Adam all wanting to play, I finally gave in and took a lesson. I’m pretty awful, but figure it’s a good way to spend time outside and it’s the kind of sport that allows you to basically stand around talking. Which really is my kind of sport, so I can’t complain too much. Plus, I got a super cute golf glove and am already dreaming up fun golf outfits. What? I need to find some way to get excited about it.

I’m especially excited to head to Ommegang Brewery on our way up to Chautauqua tomorrow. And also to hit up one of my very favorite breweries, Southern Tier while we’re vacationing. Plus, my family is holding our own little event called Wing Fest, which will consist of a little family reunion packed with buffalo wings. Love my family!

Since I’ve got vacation on my mind, I’m posting my favorite things today. I’ve been letting them pile up for quite a while, so here goes nothing!

Cabot Private Stock Classic Vermont Cheddar Cheese:

OK, it’s no secret I’m obsessed with Cabot Cheese. Not only is the cheese awesome, but the entire company is made up of just plain good people. They send us cheese often and are always willing to help us out in all kinds of ways. I honestly think they’re one of the very best companies around today. But of all their cheese I’ve had (which is probably every single variety- except the smoky bacon one, where can I find the smoky bacon one?? ), the Private Stock Cheddar is my ultimate favorite. OMG I could eat an entire block of this in one sitting. It’s super sharp and flavorful and I don’t think I can enjoy a burger anymore unless this is topping it. Or an egg sandwich. Or a grilled cheese. Or life.

Blueberries in Ice Cubes:

Chris and I caught a segment of the Today Show recently where they made a cocktail with blueberry ice cubes and we immediately did it ourselves. It’s super easy and makes every drink a lot more fun. Just put blueberries in your ice cube tray and fill with water.

Freeze! And use ice cubes like normal.

I especially recommend using the blueberry ice cubes in lemonade with vodka. But they make water 100% better, too!

Martha Stewart Glitter:

Martha Stewart. Glitter. Could anything on Earth make me happier? I think not. It might be my new goal to have this Martha Stewart Glitter in every single color in my collection. Could I add that to our wedding registry? Look out because I’ll have a little project featuring this glitter coming up on the blog soon!

The Rattlesnake Bar and Grill:

Chels and I are obviously HUGE fans of Poe’s Kitchen at The Rattlesnake. As we’ve mentioned before, the food used to be really subpar at the Rattlesnake and we would never go there. But once Brian Poe started as the chef, he totally turned things around and now it’s some of the BEST casual dining in the city. We hadn’t paid Poe a visit in quite a while, so a couple weeks ago, we gathered some of our friends, had a drink on the roof deck, and then headed in for some food.

Poe brought us out a few appetizers, like this flatbread made on naan with grilled peaches, prosciutto, and goat cheese. Swoon.

And this grilled avocado with lobster.

Some of his famous corn bread (seriously, this stuff is amazing. If you only order one thing, make it this!).

We also got some meals to nibble on. Susan claimed this jalapeno clam chowder was the best clam chowder she’s had in the city (and she’s tried a lot!). It was absolutely stuffed with clams and had a pretty stunning presentation.

Becca loved her steak quesadilla made with garlic naan.

Chels and I shared some of the famous fish tacos.

Somehow I missed getting a picture of Alison‘s burger, which may as well be named Best Burger in the World right this second. Let’s just talk about the fact that it’s a Kobe Beef Burger stuffed with LOBSTER, FOIE GRAS and BLACK TRUFFLES. Also it has whiskey bacon and Irish porter cheese on it. Can you even imagine a burger with so much amazingness in it?!

Poe surprised us with dessert, too. Strawberry shortcake kebabs with minted black truffle ice cream. Also known as heaven on a plate. I mean, have you ever had minted black truffle ice cream?? No? Do it. Now.

Though Poe brought us the appetizers and desserts complimentary, I can 100% say all opinions are our own… and they are very strong opinions We choose to talk about the Rattlesnake so much because we think it’s SO underrated and not enough people realize how awesome the food really is. Plus, they have a roof deck and sweet patio seating, too. On prime people watching real estate.

Starbucks Iced Coffee

The other day, I got a super fun surprise in the mail. Starbucks sent me some items from their iced coffee collection. Yippee!

Starbucks new VIA Iced Coffee. Can we talk about how awesome this is? All you have to do is mix it with water and ice, shake it up, and sip away. It’s perfect for iced coffee on the go and with the incredibly sweltering weather we’ve had in Boston the last couple days, I’ve been enjoying it quite a bit.

Especially since Starbucks also sent a travel mug specifically meant for their iced VIA. It even has a pop-up straw. It’s a shaker for ice coffee.

And? Cool Beans. Ice cubes shaped like coffee beans that you make with coffee. No more watered down iced coffee!

How cool? Beans?

The easiest iced coffee ever. And the caramel flavor is awesome!

I haven’t broke into the bag of coffee beans specifically meant for iced coffee yet, but I can’t wait to brew some up.

And Tazo Passion Tea that I’ll be making some lovely iced tea with

Dinner with Bloggers:

As you know, one of my very favorite things about blogging is meeting so many amazing people. Last weekend, I got to go to dinner with one of my favorite bloggers and tweeters, Kristin from Camels & Chocolate. Kristin is a California-based travel blogger and writes about her amazing tales traveling around the world. She and her husband were in Boston on a family trip and Chris and I went out to dinner with them, along with Susan and her husband. In case you don’t know Susan of Transient Travels, she’s a Boston-based travel blogger and was one of my very first blogging friends. Chels and I met Susan, Becca, and Julie Q over 4 years ago and though we all blog about different things, we’ve been friends ever since

Anyway, Kristin, Susan, and I (and our men) headed to 94 Mass Ave for some small plates and LOTS of chatting. I’m pretty sure we could have sat there (or stood outside) all night talking. I’m so excited I finally got to meet Kristin and hope to see her when her travels bring her around again!

Summer Music:

Do you have a song of the summer? You know, like a summer anthem? My anthems of summer are definitely all country music this year. Most specifically Jason Aldean’s “Dirt Road Anthem.”

And Zac Brown and Jimmy Buffet’s “Knee Deep.”

Are you a country music fan? One of my biggest pet peeves about living in Boston is that people seem to hate country music here. Ask people what kind of music they like and they always seem to answer “I listen to anything BUT country music.” Why?! I think it’s the most fun music EVER.

OK, I’m off to finish up work for the week, pack about 10 bathing suits in my bag, bake about 4 dozen cookies, and hit the road! I’ve got some posts queued up for next week and I’ll hopefully be posting some vacation updates, too Be sure to follow us on Twitter at @WearenotMartha and my personal account at @Susie, too. And if you have any recommendations for fun things to do in the Lake Chautauqua area of New York, let me know!

Have a super happy weekend!

[Sues]

Batch isn’t just your ordinary ice cream. You can actually taste the love in every bite. Founders Susie and Veronica use local and (mostly) organic ingredients. They don’t believe in using artificial flavoring or colors, so with that said, every bit of flavor you taste in Batch ice cream, is natural. Including their own handmade caramel, using sea salt and butter from Maine. Need I say more?

The ice creams were paired with three varieties from Sam Adams’ Summer Pack.

The first pairing was Sam Adams Boston Lager with Batch’s Salted Caramel, which rightfully so, is their best selling ice cream. It reminded me of a Werther’s Original Caramel but with a touch of salt. And in ice cream form, of course. The Boston Lager “uses only traditional brewing methods and the finest ingredients, including Noble hops. It has a perfect balance of malty sweetness and hop spiciness followed by a robust, smooth finish.”.

The second pairing was Sam Adams Rustic Saison and Batch’s Vanilla Bean Ice Cream. This vanilla will most likely knock you off your feet and blow your mind at the same time. I’ve had my fair share of vanilla ice cream in my life, as most people have, and Batch’s was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Smooth, perfectly sweet, and clearly not artificial at all. The Rustin Saison is one of Sam’s new styles and is “incredibly complex and unique with floral, fruity, and estery flavors layered with citrusy hops and a slightly sweet herbal note.” Perfect for a warm summer night.

The last pairing was Sam Adams’ East-West Kolsch and Batch’s Ginger Ice Cream. Immediately after sampling the ginger ice cream, I thought it would be just delightful as dessert after a sushi dinner. It was light, pleasant, and refreshing. I’m going to have to make this happen immediately, actually. The East-West Kolsch is also refreshing, with “citrusy Alsatian hops and Southwest Asian Jasmine Sambac for a delicate floral flavor.”

Including the three flavors mentioned above, Batch also serves several other crave-worthy varieties including:

Chocolate
Coffee
Cinnamon and Chocolate Bits
Mocha Chip

While we experienced the pairings, our tour guide, Seth, taught us all about the flavors and showed us around the brewery.

We even got a tour of the Barrel Room…

How neat is this table? I think I need it.

After the tour was over, the open house was opened to the public so we settled into one of the tasting rooms to relax and catch up with some of our favorite bloggers turned real life friends

Including the lovely Colleen of The Daily Craic and her brand-spanking new fiancee, Colin. Easily one of the cutest couples in America.

We also spent some QT with our darling, Becca, who also heads up the Massachusetts chapter of Girls Pint Out. Becca knows more about beer (and Anthropologie sales and Boston patios, since we’re on the topic) then any girl I know. Which is exactly why we’re friends with her

The funny thing about the Sam Adams brewery is for as long as I’ve lived in and around Boston, I had never once gone, until last week. I told my brother about it the other day and now he wants me to go with him and a couple of his friends this week. I have a feeling I might be spending some quality time here now. Especially since it’s so close to The Haven, where my favorite hamburger resides

Looking for Batch Ice Cream? They can be found throughout the Boston area at some local food shops, farm stands, and also Whole Foods. If you’re looking for an exact location you can visit their Where to Find page. And don’t forget, if they don’t carry it at your favorite store, request it!

Samuel Adams Brewery
30 Germania Street
Boston, MA 02130
617.368.5080

—————————————————————————————————–

The winners of our Chowderfest Giveaway are…

drumroll, please….

Germaine

and

Lauren Morrill

Congratulations, ladies! We’ll be in touch with you asap to get your contact information. Have a blast and say hello if you see us!

[Chels]

Boston is a city that is almost always undergoing some sort of construction or planning vision and nine times out of ten people have no clue what’s going on or when they’ll be done. Or really how we’ll even get there because this city is notorious for having streets that make zero sense. Here’s looking at you Big Dig. But, we love this city and that’s what keeps us here, wonky construction projects and all I think it’s safe to say that the work done on Fan Pier was definitely worth it. It’s a part of the city I never really venture out to, mostly because there isn’t a direct train that takes you there. You either have to walk a bit, take a cab, or take the Silver line (which is a bus). But whenever I’m at the ICA or near the water I always say “I need to get out here more often!”. Mostly just to walk around and take in the views, see some grass, and watch the sailboats float on by. It’s a part of Boston that doesn’t even really feel like Boston. It’s all new construction so it definitely adds a nice flavor to an otherwise traditional and old-fashioned town.

Sues and I decided since the weather had finally cleared up and it was such a nice night, that we would take the Green line to Government Center and walk to Sam’s. It took about 18 minutes or so. And since we knew we’d be eating and sipping cocktails all evening, getting a little exercise in was an added bonus

As we approached the building I was instantly happy. I looooove the industrial feel of the exterior and the curry-colored font on the building just about made me want to die and go to Design Heaven. All caps because it’s a real place

And then there’s the other side of the building. Aren’t you drooling? I would have been content just sitting on the lawn outside of Louis and admiring the architecture.

But there was food and drink to be served, so inside we went! After we casually wandered around the building trying to figure out which door we went in. Woops.

Just as we walked out to the patio we were served the evening’s “signature cocktail” which was called The Less Than Three. It was the perfect mix of cassis, tequila, grapefruit juice, mint and a bit of club soda, as shown below.

The little salted cucumber garnish was also quite delectable. A salty summery bite to finish off a refreshing cocktail!

I didn’t eat a proper dinner that evening so I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of appetizers Sam’s served! Not to mention they were all jaw-droppingly good.

On the menu:

Crispy Jalepeno-Crab Rangoon with Sweet and Sour Plum Gastrique. Just wow. I’m almost 100% sure that if all Crab Rangoon tasted like this the world would be at peace.

Pulled Pork Nachos. These chips were stunning and crunchy and I want more. Now!

Quinoa Salad with Feta, Blueberries, and Orange Supremes.

Grilled Lamb Lollipop

Lobster BLT with Candied Bacon. There are no words.

And two of my favorites of the night that I didn’t get to photograph mostly because I was too consumed with eating them, the Halibut Ceviche with Bibb Lettuce, and the Pancetta Braised Endive with Pink Grapefruit.

Not on the menu, but naturally just as delicious as the food that was served, were these views of the water:

And sailboats.

And Boston Bloggers.

Of course, Sues and I were two of the last people to leave the party which is almost always typical. Once we start talking we automatically lose track of all time. And losing track of all time and reality is pretty simple to do when you’re being treated to delicious bites on what I now like to think is one of Boston’s finest patios. I’d be foolish to not spend as much time as possible at Sam’s this summer. And you’d be foolish not to go. Word on the street is they have a fantastic brunch.

Sam’s at Louis
60 Northern Avenue
Boston, MA
617.295.0191

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Giveaway!

Speaking of Boston. And Summer. And food that makes you drool. We’re giving away two pairs of tickets to the 30th Annual Chowderfest! It’s being held Sunday, July 3, so if you’re in Boston 4th of July weekend, and love clam chowder, definitely enter!

The participants are:

Jerry Remy’s (Boston, MA)
Ipswich Clambake Company (Ipswich, MA)
Anthem Kitchen and Bar (Boston, MA)
Mr. Dooley’s Boston Tavern (Boston, MA)
Clancy’s Restaurant (Dennisport, MA)
The Chart House (Boston, MA)

Like I said, we’re giving away two pairs, which means there will be two winners! Hooray!

Leave a comment on this post by Sunday, June, 26 by 11:59pm EST telling us why you want to attend this year’s Chowderfest. Tweet for an additional entry. “Like” us on Facebook for another entry! Just be sure to leave another comment on this post letting us know about your extra tweets, etc. Easy like Sunday morning. Good luck and hopefully we’ll see you there!

[Chels]

Upon turning the corner onto Washington Street you can see the brightly colored awning pulling you in to enjoy something sweet. Or savory, as I discovered during my first visit for lunch a couple days ago.

As I entered the space, the pale blue walls, modern ceiling fans, hints of contrasting oranges and reds in furniture, and row upon row of tasty treats caught my attention. Not to mention the cheerful faces behind the counters, which I soon learned were owners, Dana and Jessica.

As I starred longingly at the glass case, knowing full-well if I didn’t ask for suggestions I’d be there all day, the girls started naming some options for my lunch.

But I couldn’t keep my eyes off the desserts.

Treats carries the perfect selection of menu items, both quantity wise and variety wise. I don’t do well (at all!) with making decisions, especially when it comes to food, so I appreciate menus that aren’t overwhelming. Treats carries a great selection of simple sandwiches that can be prepared warm as well. And from what my sister told me, the house-made soda was a must. I never drink soda but this one sounded promising and I loved that it was homemade! My options were a hibiscus soda or a ginger soda ($2.95). I obviously couldn’t decided which to get so they mixed them together. It tasted exactly like a pretty flower with a hint of fresh ginger, to be honest! Definitely one of the most refreshing carbonated beverages I’ve ever had. And for lunch, I finally decided on their handmade braided bread stuffed with black forest ham and rich cheddar cheese ($6.75).

I may have actually mouthed to myself as I was eating, “This is sooo good”. I used a fork and knife, but only because I was in public. I promise you, if I ate this at home I would have devoured it in minutes flat and had cheese dripping down my chin. I might just get it to go next time. It was a chilly afternoon the day I visited Treats, so this sandwich, clearly prepared with the freshest herbs and meats, warmed me right up.

I started to pick the melted cheese off of the parchment paper with my fork when I finished the sandwich. Not very lady-like, but necessary.

I was so pleasantly full after my lunch, and as if I needed more food, I took a stroll around the rest of the space to eye the desserts.

The girls were so sweet and told me to pick whichever I’d like, on them. The spiced raspberry cookies were eyeing me so I took a couple for the road. I ended up eating them for dessert that night and felt like Cookie Monster while I ate them. Thankfully, I only had two because serious damage would have been done had there been more in my possession. They were perfectly spicy and just the right amount of sweet. And oh, so moist and soft.

Along with so many sweet options, Treats also offers coffee, espresso, sticky buns, croissants, pies, custom cakes, two daily varieties of scones and muffins and vegan options of scones and muffins as well. My sister actually had a sample of their red velvet cake yesterday and informed me that I have to go back and try it immediately. So there’s always that to look forward to.

Along with a Summer filled with refreshing house-made sodas, because I’ll surely be back. And now that I know they have wifi I’ll probably end up moving in.

Treats on Washington
379 Washington Street
Brighton, MA 02135
617.202.5837

[Chels]

I went to the concert with a great group of ladies including Melis, Heather, my roommate Liza, and Liza’s friend, Jenna. Melis came over before the show for some snacks and a serious old school dance party involving me doing the Running Man for far longer than any 27 year old should do it. I just about died of laughter when Melis got to my apartment. We decided it would be fun to go all 80s/90s with our outfits and she went ALL out. Including a hot pink scrunchie. A SCRUNCHIE! Insanity.

Liza’s outfit was also hysterical! She wore a neon green off-the-shoulder t-shirt with a picture of Hello Kitty wearing star sunglasses! I wore my batwing hoodie from American Apparel, stacked a ton of colorful bangles up my arm, and wore big white hoop earrings. I also wore a banana clip in my hair.

Oh. And I wore hot pink LA Gear sneakers. Yup, yup I did!

It actually kind of made me question my wardrobe since I didn’t go out and buy any of these things. I just happened to have them in my closet and I wear them all quite often. Evidently I dig the 80s and 90s.

After the dance party and splattering body glitter over our faces, we headed to Fenway for the show. Part of the reason this concert was so much fun was because New Kids on the Block are from Boston, so it was their homecoming. And playing a concert at legendary Fenway Park is a HUGE deal for any artist. So, naturally, everyone in attendance was nearly losing their minds right along with NKOTBSB. It should also be noted that I’m 99.87% sure there has never been this many women in this ballpark. They had to shut down the men’s bathrooms and turn them into women’s bathrooms if that tells you anything. Smart move!

And we bumped into our friend Nichole, too! I think almost every Boston girl I’m friends with on Facebook was at this show judging on everyone’s statuses Saturday night

We were sitting in outer space so it’s hard to even tell what the following pictures are of. I felt like I was 13 again taking pictures of little dots on a stage and thinking it was the coolest thing in the entire world. When the show first started we were all screaming so loudly that I kind of thought I was going to blow a vocal chord. Eek.

I don’t want to give away too many details about the actual concert since the boys are still touring and I don’t want to spoil it for anyone! What I can say is that it was hands down one of the most fun concerts I’ve ever been to (and I’ve literally lost count of all the concerts I’ve been to). And I will also say that Naughty by Nature made a guest appearance and I almost started to cry. What!?

And though our seats were in outer space, we were actually quite thankful because it started to downpour. Borderline monsoon style. And while everyone on the field was getting drenched out of their minds, we remained nice and dry. Cheaper seats for the win!

The boys were visibly having so much fun and they turned the long stage into a slip n’ slide, which made me want to purchase a slip n’ slide for this summer. Nick Carter slipped so badly that he almost fell. During one song they changed into Bruins jerseys. And they closed the show wearing Celtics jerseys. It was all glorious and perfect, really. Never more proud to be a Bostonian!

I went to bed happy that night. And am still smiling about it all

[Chels]

There was definitely a lot of love this weekend. Lots of laughs. There were some tears of joy and excitement shed as well since we are all so proud of Chris! Also, tears of sadness, on my part, when I accidently dropped and broke his bottle of wine given to him 4 years ago when he was accepted into his fraternity society! I pride myself on being somewhat graceful and actually get quite peeved with clumsy people so I was definitely hard on myself. Thankfully he laughed it off. Woops!

Signs of a lovefest-filled weekend:

Big dogs. Meet Connor, the largest dog you’ll ever see in a frat house. Or ever, really.

Brothers for life.

Wine toasts.

Handsome fraternity men.

Smiling father and sons.

And a very proud sister.

And momma.

Loyal friends.

Sunset cruises with siblings and parents.

Chocolate covered strawberries on said sunset cruise

The actual sunset on said sunset cruise.

Goofy laughs.

Swag and style.

Kisses.

And hugs.

Proof that hard work pays off.

Ivy.

Withstanding the brutal heat and humidity for a loved one

A lil’ celebratory jig. Naturally.

More style.

Happy homes.

And no weekend is “good” until there’s food. Duh. After the ceremony we had a nice family dinner at Madeline’s, a popular restaurant in Ithaca.

Celebratory bottle of Malbec

Sesame Encrusted Tuna Carpaccio, wakame, caramel soy reduction

Thai sticks with blue crab, chicken, vegetables, and spicy miso mustard sauce.

Shrimp skewers.

Filet mignon.

Red velvet cake.

Carrot Cake.

There really aren’t enough words to express just how proud I am of my brother. The kid is just plain smaht. Plus, I know if I do try to explain it on the blog or mention his post-undergrad plans, he’ll probably never talk to me again. He’s far more modest than I

Love Actually is All Around, part deux

Love Actually is All Around, part un

Sibling Weekend in Ithaca, New York, 2009

How did you spend your Memorial Day weekend? Hopefully it consisted of lots of love

[Chels]

When we arrived in Atlanta on Thursday afternoon, we were lucky enough to have Moe’s Southwest Grill waiting to give us a ride on their party bus. They greeted us at the airport and took us right out to the bus (Also? If you ever go to Atlanta, we’ll warn you it’s one of the largest airport in the WORLD. And that means you should not get off the plane and walk to baggage claim. Take the shuttle. 40 minutes is a long way to walk through an airport. Not that we would know).

On the party bus, we got to indulge in some of Moe’s corn salsa, regular salsa, and tortilla chips.

It was fabulous to learn about the restaurant and everything they have to offer. Neither of us have ever been to Moe’s, but there are a few in the Boston-area we’ll definitely head to soon. Especially since they hooked us up with a gift card. And ipod shuffles, which were a pleasant surprise

We got to hang with the best of Moe’s on the bus, including Executive Chef Dan Barash. What a great way to be welcomed to Atlanta!

Thursday night, we attended a party thrown by Brandi, Susan, and Leslie at the Hard Rock Cafe, perfectly titled RockHer. It was a great way to kick off the conference since we got to meet attendees, enjoy delicious food (mashed potato bar!), and enter to win prizes.

We didn’t win anything, but congrats to everyone who did! And we’re completely jealous of whoever won the raspberry ice KitchenAid mixer. Swoon.

The desserts, provided by Nordic Ware were to-die-for.

And we enjoyed banana margaritas and banana pina coladas, provided by Dole. Delicious!

It was SO good to see Brandi again- we haven’t seen her since the first Foodbuzz Fest a couple years back, but have obviously been keeping up with her blog since then. She is a southern DOLL.

We also got to meet Mandy, our sweet new friend from Austin, who we spent quite a bit of time hanging out with over the weekend.

After the RockHer party, Brandi invited us to her room to try out Stonyfield‘s new frozen yogurt bars, in dark chocolate.

And vanilla.

They were SO good and perfect for the perfect for the impending summer weather (which will hopefully arrive in Boston at some point). Right now they’re available at Whole Foods and will likely be in more shops soon.

Friday was the official start of BlogHer Food and we spent the day attending sessions, meeting new friends and old, and learning about all of the BlogHer Food sponsors. Including our friends from Masterbuilt who we met at our “freshman year” of Butterball University.

On Saturday afternoon, we headed to the Sweet Auburn Curb Market, where we wandered around and enjoyed Sweet Auburn Barbecue. And yes, that’s David Lebovitz in front of the truck. Definitely one of the (many) celebrities of the weekend. He’s an ice cream idol

Dump hundreds of bloggers off at a food market and they’ll be in Heaven!

The beef taco, mac and cheese, and baked potato salad were especially delicious while sitting in the sun. Also, baked potato salad is the best idea ever.

After lunch, we spent a bit more time walking around the market.

Sunday night, we attended the BlogHer Food final party at the Tabernacle. It was definitely a special way to close the conference and say goodbye to everyone we met and say hello to people we didn’t get a chance to mingle with during the weekend!

Us with the lovely girls of Flip Cookbook.

With our new blogger BFF, Brandi

So glad we got to spend so much time with Carrie, of Fields of Cake. Thankfully she lives in New England so we’ll be able to get to see her more often!

New friend and Atlanta resident Farihah, of Spices Bites, gave us lots of tips about the city and was an absolute pleasure to spend so much time with over the weekend.

Oh, there was lots of dancing, too. LOTS.

And we were thrilled to get a photo with “friend in our head,” David Leite, who is incredibly talented and hilarious!

And then there’s the Kitchen Generation gang. We were so excited to meet them because they all have such stunning individual blogs and are just plain special people. They’re the future of food blogging. Plus, Elissa of 17andbaking goes to college in Boston, so we plan to eat our way through the city when she heads back in the Fall

Of course, BlogHer Food was so much more than what you see above. We attended some incredibly informative sessions that will hopefully help us take our blog to the next level. And we met more bloggers than we’ve ever met before. We lost count of how many times we looked at each other and said “They were so nice!” after talking to someone. Everyone was excited to meet new people and never did the atmosphere feel cliquey or uncomfortable. And that’s kind of rare when you gather a bunch of women together for the weekend!

And now we’re anxiously awaiting the announcement of BlogHer Food’s 2012 location. We will definitely be there!

We’ll be back this week with regularly scheduled blog posts. It’s been a crazy week of traveling for us but we’re back in Boston with loads of new friends and experiences we’ll hold on to for quite some time

[Chels and Sues]